The mask that the “Phantom,” Erik, wears over his face symbolizes his vulnerability and the injustice he suffers from, as he is forced to hide his face because it causes too much horror in other people. Although the mask gives Erik some control over his life, as it allows him to decide when to reveal his real face, it also signals that he has no control over one crucial factor: other people’s reactions. The removal of masks occurs at crucial moments in the narrative; on one such occasion, overwhelmed by the beauty of the Phantom’s singing, Christine spontaneously decides to disobey Erik’s orders and remove his mask, which causes Erik fear, pain, and anger. This moment marks a turning point in the narrative, as Christine will remain scarred by the horrifying face she has seen. On another occasion, during the masked ball, Christine finally shows Raoul her anguish when she removes her mask. In both cases, removing one’s mask reveals one’s vulnerability. Therefore, the success of this operation depends on other characters’ good will—in Erik’s case, Christine’s ability to show him compassion and admiration despite his ugliness, and, in Christine’s case, Raoul’s willingness to trust her and take her feelings seriously despite his intense jealousy.
Masks Quotes in The Phantom of the Opera
“He is extraordinarily thin and his black coat hangs loosely off his skeletal frame. His eyes are so deep-set that you cannot make out his pupils: all you can see are two big black holes, as in a skull. His skin is stretched over his bone structure like a drumhead, and is not white but an ugly yellow. His nose is almost non-existent when seen sideways; and this absence is a horrible thing to behold. As for his hair, it consists of no more than three or four long dark strands on his forehead and behind his ears.”
“As I would not let go of the cloak, the shadow turned round and beneath the hood I saw a terrifying skull, whose staring eyes burned with the fire of Hell. I thought I was face to face with Satan himself. It was like a vision from beyond the grave.”
Christine simply took off her mask and said: “It is a tragedy, Raoul!”
He now saw her face and could not suppress a cry of surprise and shock. Gone was her fresh, glowing complexion. No longer a reflection of her tranquil disposition and untroubled conscience, her face—so charming and gentle in former days—was deadly pale. How anguished she looked now! Her features were cruelly furrowed by sorrow and her beautiful, limpid eyes—Little Lotte’s eyes—had become wells of deep, dark, unfathomable mystery and were bordered with terribly doleful shadows.
Hideousness, soaring on the wings of Love, had dared to face Beauty.
“You are afraid of him, but do you love me? If Erik were handsome, would you love me, Christine?”
“Why do you raise questions that I have pushed to the back of my mind as if they were sinful?”
She rose too and wrapped her beautiful, trembling arms round the young man.
“Oh, my betrothed, if I did not love you, I would not offer you my lips! Kiss them, for the first and last time.”
Masks Symbol Timeline in The Phantom of the Opera
